merciful-evans Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 G V is serialising (6 parts) the story of resonator guitars (National & Dobro) called 'A Tone Like a River'. Its up to part #3 now & I’ve been finding it interesting. This is part #1 https://guitarvillage.co.uk/blog/a-tone-like-a-river-the-story-of-national-resonator-guitars-part-1 It centres on John Dopyera, presenting him favourably in his association with George Beauchamp. Though I admire Beauchamp more, its good to get ‘the other side of the story’. This snippet is from part #2 Quote With Ted firmly in his sights as a potential investor, George turned up to one of his famed parties armed with a new tricone resonator and an up-and-coming Hawaiian musician named Sol Hoopii in tow. Sol would go on to become one of the most influential Hawaiian guitarists of all time – pioneering the blend of blues and jazz into the Hawaiian style so common in Western swing and later country music, for example – and make his name playing Nationals, but for now his task was to so impress Ted with the sound of John’s new guitar. This move by George proved a prudential one: the party lasted for an alleged three days, with free-flowing bootleg liquor, dancing girls, and gambling tables that swallowed up Sol’s $500 payment within the first day. By the time the last guest had left, George had secured an investment from Ted for $12,500. This investment was enough to begin factory production, and to officially form the National String Instrument Corporation in 1927. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 "Though an extremely talented player – George still had to supplement his income as a part-time house painter during the 20s." The story of the working musician... Great read, I own and play some resonator, mine's a square neck, cheap Fender import, but it's accurate and sounds good. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Interesting. Particularly the reason for the development. Amplification of the instrument's sound. I recall back in "the day", we used to refer to resonators as "self amplified guitars". And only rarely seen on certain album covers, never back then recall ever seeing one in a music shop. As an aside, a couple of names involved were interesting and curious. Like the name "Beauchamp" pronounced "Bee-chum". I worked once in the late '70's with a guy by that name, only he pronounced it "Bo-shahm". And the violin maker STROH. Made me wonder if he was nay relation to the Stroh family that made that Bohemian style beer brewed in Detroit called "Stroh's". Thanks for posting this story and the links to have it all available. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 1, 2022 Author Share Posted July 1, 2022 17 hours ago, Whitefang said: Interesting. Particularly the reason for the development. Amplification of the instrument's sound. I recall back in "the day", we used to refer to resonators as "self amplified guitars". And only rarely seen on certain album covers, never back then recall ever seeing one in a music shop. As an aside, a couple of names involved were interesting and curious. Like the name "Beauchamp" pronounced "Bee-chum". I worked once in the late '70's with a guy by that name, only he pronounced it "Bo-shahm". And the violin maker STROH. Made me wonder if he was nay relation to the Stroh family that made that Bohemian style beer brewed in Detroit called "Stroh's". Thanks for posting this story and the links to have it all available. Whitefang I was at school with a Beauchamp and his family pronounced it Bee-Chum also. Yes I find all these characters fascinating. Glad to see I'm not alone in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted July 1, 2022 Share Posted July 1, 2022 I gave you a six-pack of Stroh's, You never drank 'em down, You keep drinkin' Rolling Rock, You know I can't hang around... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted July 1, 2022 Share Posted July 1, 2022 6 hours ago, merciful-evans said: I was at school with a Beauchamp and his family pronounced it Bee-Chum also. Yes I find all these characters fascinating. Glad to see I'm not alone in that. Heh. "Bee-Chum". Kinda sounds like something you'd toss into the ocean to attract tiny sharks, don't it? Whitefang 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 7, 2022 Author Share Posted July 7, 2022 Ok this is part #4 - just been released. It details the birth of the electric guitar. I spotted 2 mistakes. The frying pan guitar was not called the Rickenbacher Electro A-22. The company was then still called 'Ro Pat In'. The first brand name to appear on the guitars, amps etc was 'Electro'. The 2nd mistake is the spelling of the Rickenbacher (Adolf's true name). Eventually the company was renamed Rickenbacker with its anglicised spelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted July 7, 2022 Share Posted July 7, 2022 Posting the link would have been nice. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 8, 2022 Author Share Posted July 8, 2022 Whoops! I thought I added the link. Here it is... https://guitarvillage.co.uk/blog/a-tone-like-a-river-part-4-of-6-adolph-rickenbacher-the-first-electric-guitar-and-the-end-of-national 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 I have yet to understand the "popularity of Hawaiian music." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 (edited) When I was learning to play Guitar way back when my teacher was a friend in the Army who was a Blues guy. I was Stationed at Ft. Belvoir in Va. Lots of Blues guys there in those days.. I learned how to play 3 chord progressions. (Bar Chords.) Mostly in the key of E.. A lot of Jimmy Reed & early Stones Covers of American Blues we never heard of that are now considered legends.. I thought The Stones wrote those Songs! I played ok Rhythm but could Sing pretty well. My buddy suggested I get a Harp & a Slide. I did. They came more natural than playing Guitar! So I sang, played harp & some simple Slide.. My buddy was an excellent Guitarist who covered my lack of Guitar skill & we sounded good.. Flash forward many years…. I wanted a Steel Body Dobro & saw a beautiful looking Dean Electric Resonator for not a lot of money & bought it.. It had beautiful engraved Hawaiian Scenes & hula dancers but I didn’t think it sounded great so I returned it.. I still want one & would like to go out & play a bunch.. Thanks for posting this 6 Part Series.. Now I’ve got GAS again! Edited July 8, 2022 by Larsongs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 I long wondered if Adolf Rickenbacker was in any way related to the WWI flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker who Helped form the Rickenbacker Automobile Company in Detroit's Corktown community which made cars there from 1922 to 1927. If you recall, Orson Bean's character "Mr. Bevis" drove a 1924 Rickenbacker in the Twilight Zone episode "Mr. Bevis" in the early '60's. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 9, 2022 Author Share Posted July 9, 2022 19 hours ago, Murph said: I have yet to understand the "popularity of Hawaiian music." The most popular music at that time was Jazz, and guitars had replaced banjos at that time (from Dixieland to Mainstream). But no Jazz guitarist played any solos then. They simply couldn't be heard. The only popular music that used guitars for melody then was Hawaiian. Hawaiian bands were quieter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted July 9, 2022 Share Posted July 9, 2022 8 hours ago, merciful-evans said: The most popular music at that time was Jazz, and guitars had replaced banjos at that time (from Dixieland to Mainstream). But no Jazz guitarist played any solos then. They simply couldn't be heard. The only popular music that used guitars for melody then was Hawaiian. Hawaiian bands were quieter. And that tone used with those Hawaiian slide electric instruments were quite exotic to the mainland's ears at the time. The guy 2nd from the right looks like he has a "frying pan" under his arm. Whitefang 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 10, 2022 Author Share Posted July 10, 2022 21 hours ago, Whitefang said: And that tone used with those Hawaiian slide electric instruments were quite exotic to the mainland's ears at the time. The guy 2nd from the right looks like he has a "frying pan" under his arm. Whitefang I agree about the sound at that time. It would be at very least a novelty. Strange and beautiful at the same time. Well spotted with the frying pan. This is what one sounds like. and here for completeness is a 1928 National Tri-Cone Resonator (The John Dopyera patented invention) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted July 10, 2022 Share Posted July 10, 2022 I THOUGHT that resonator up there looked familiar! Whitefang 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 14, 2022 Author Share Posted July 14, 2022 sadly it looks like the story might be over, because part 5 is a listing & descriptions of instruments: https://guitarvillage.co.uk/blog/a-tone-like-a-river-part-5-of-6-nationals-models 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted July 14, 2022 Share Posted July 14, 2022 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 22, 2022 Author Share Posted July 22, 2022 Final part #6 a wrap up. At least its back to more of the story. Last paragraph is a GV endorsement. https://guitarvillage.co.uk/blog/a-tone-like-a-river-part-6-of-6-national-reso-phonic-guitars-resonators-for-the-modern-day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Great story. The dedication of the principals is nothing short of amazing. Thanks for posting these. Whitefang 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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